THE international light turbine engine industry, here defined as
including engines of up to 2,000 h.p.,
or 10,0001b dry-thrust, continues to
flourish and prosper despite threats of
a recession in the US economy, rela
tively static defence budgets, and
progressive hikes in the price of oil.
Much of this enthusiasm comes
from the corporate and commuter-air
craft engines sector. Companies like
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft of Canada,
which has announced plans to in
crease its production capacity by an
impressive 50 per cent plus, and Gar
rett AiResearch, now expanding and
building new manufacturing plants,
are among the leaders.
Not only is the manufacturing side
expanding, but the boom in general
aviation—especially at the commuter
end which has been given fresh
impetus by airline deregulation in the
US—is spawning a batch of new
engines, all of which are turboprops.
P&WAC has formally launched its
new PT7A, General Electric is going
ahead with a turboprop version of its
CT7 turboshaft, while AiResearch is
to develop a scaled-up TPE331. All of
these units are rated in the region of
1,500 h.p. with growth to around
2,000 h.p.
Right down at the bottom end of
the power scale, Alfa Romeo, with
some participation by Rolls-Royce, is
developing the 600 h.p. RB.318 turbo
prop. Below even this, Turbomeca is
making a detailed study of a new 450
h.p. turboshaft/turboprop unit.
In the military sector also, a number
of new light-turbine projects have
started to take shape over the past
12 months, with a high proportion of
them being joint ventures. AiResearch
has stepped right out of its traditional
solo mode of operation, and has joined
forces with Volvo Flygmptor to
develop a reheated military version
of the TFE731 corporate turbofan.
First run of this TFE1042 variant was
last August and was aimed at the
"Blitzfighter" concept of low-cost
interceptor. The 1,000 h.p. MTM.380
turboshaft is entering development
with MTU and Turbomeca to power
the new European antitank helicopter.
Avco Lycoming and AiResearch are
each working on a new, small 1,6001b
light-trainer turbofans, the ALFlOil
and TFE76 respectively.
At the ultra-low end of the military
thrust scale, Teledyne and AiResearch
are researching the technology of
novel configurations of small, high
fuel-economy turbofans for future
generations of American cruise
missiles. In France, Microturbo during
1979 announced a series of four new
small turbojets, ranging from the
4301b TRI30 to the 1,2001b TRI80.
Microturbo, having launched itself
largely on the strength of several
thousand gas turbine starters for the
Snecma Atar, is now making a strong
pitch for the European RPV/air-
breathing powered missile market. It
has faced successful competition on
the Continent from KHD, but in the
UK the French company has won out
against Lucas Aerospace and Noel
Penny in the Asat target and P3T
guided weapon.
Most obviously missing from this
list of manufacturers and new light
turbines is Rolls-Royce. Despite some
test work and sales promotion, Rolls-
Royce has not yet been able to
announce development go-ahead for
5,5001b RB.401 corporate turbofan or
the joint venture 1.500 to 2,000 h.p.
Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM.321.
The RB:401, although faced from
above, head-on and below by the
ALF502, ATF3 and TFE731. will suc
ceed or fail in the market on the
strength of its technical and commer
cial merits. The RTM.321 is more
political because it challenges the
General Electric T700 in the 1,500-
2.000 h.p. helicopter power band. The
RTM.321 offers the chance of main
taining the turboshaft design capa
bility established for the Gem. rather
than reverting to licence-building as
with the GE T58/Gnome.
For Turbomeca, the RTM.321, like
the MTM.380, cuts the cost of develop
ing a new engine, and opens the door
to fresh markets. The French com
pany does however, already have its
own similarly rated Makila turboshaft
just starting production deliveries for
the Super Puma.
General Electric last year had been
close to signing a T700 licence agree
ment with Alfa Romeo, and Italy was
known to be receptive to the idea of
using the GE engine in the Westland
Augusta WG.34. MTU, as a long-stand
ing licensee of General Electric, could
also become T700 manufacturing
associate. Even without European out
lets, the GE engine is going to be one
of the more successful light turbines
of the lSSOs. With a foothold in
Europe, the US turboshaft would have
a large part of the West's helicopter
market entirely to itself.
The overall picture is that, with the
possible exception of General Electric,
the larger among the aero-engine
manufacturers are now being pushed
strongly from below by the light-
turbine manufacturers who are in
effect, beginning to carve out a posi
tive and growing sector of the market
for themselves. Pratt & Whitney Air
craft Group has a burgeoning sub
sidiary in Canada in the forefront of
this field. It would appear, therefore,
that Rolls-Royce is being squeezed the
hardest. This is rather ironic since the
company's Dart turboprop has been a
largescale contributor to powering
commuter aircraft, and its Viper
turbojet was one of the earliest
engines in the corporate jet market.
AERO INDUSTRY
DEVELOPMENT
CENTRE (Taiwan)
Aero Industry Development Centre.
Headquarters: Kang Shan, Taiwan.
Military aircraft and engine manu
facturing organisation managed by
the Nationalist Chinese Air Force on
behalf of the Taiwan Government.
Conflicting information has been
published concerning future plans